So, you are thinking about breeding Dalmatians. I would like to invite you to join my Dal Rescue list before you carry out your plans. There are too many Dals being born, and most that end up needing rescue will die. There are not enough foster homes, not enough permanent homes. Each one who is adopted is a cause for celebration, as most do NOT find homes.

Please go to my Links Page. You will find tons of information on Dals, on rescue, and what it takes to be a responsible breeder. It is a tremendous amount of work and dedication. Many who show Dalmatians and invest their lives in their dogs are not breeding very often, due to the tremendous need for homes for Dals already here. (On a personal note: it is these breeders whom I hold in the highest esteem.)

No responsible breeder of Dals would allow a pet quality Dalmatian to be bred. If you do find one that you can breed, you can rest assured you will NOT be breeding for quality. Do you really want to do that? For each puppy that you are lucky enough to place in a forever home, a Dal in a shelter or in rescue will NOT get that home. Thousands of Dals in shelters will die each year.

Please check the link for the numbers of Dals that die in Southern California. One of the women in the Save the Dals of Southern California kept tabs on the Dals that went into the 47 shelters there, and in 1998, the number of Dals that went into the shelters was an estimated 7,661...that number increased to over 10,000 Dalmatians in 1999. In both years, 95% of them were killed.

There is no way to tabulate the numbers for all the shelters across the US and Canada of Dals that come in. All states are affected by a plethora of Dalmatians needing homes. There are simply too many of them being dumped, and not enough homes. Too many people get these energetic dogs without being fully prepared to put in the time it takes for training, or without doing any research into the nature of this breed. Dalmatians are wonderful dogs, but not a breed for everyone.

Please, please, before you breed, do some research on the numbers of Dals needing rescue. I currently have five Dals, and they are ALL spayed and neutered. Four of them are rescues.

I do hope you will take the time to read some of the info that is available. I wish instead of breeding your dogs (who I am sure are wonderful Dals) that you would spay and neuter and join the ranks of those of us who work so hard to find homes for the Dals already here. Dalmatian rescue is always in need of foster homes and adoptive homes.

If after doing some research, you should change your mind, please let me know. With every person who becomes aware of the need to spay and neuter, and who decides they do NOT want to add to the crisis that Dalmatians are in, we have cause to celebrate. To be saving Dal lives instead of producing more is to be HIGHLY commended!

I would advise folks new to rescue to contact an established rescue group, or person. Rescue is not that easy to learn on your own....and mistakes can be made. Now, I am no expert. I do not belong to any rescue group, I do not foster, do not actually do placement or home checks. I am not in a populated area, nor am I able to do much travel...I currently have ten dogs, including the five Dals...I am a stay-at-home mom. My efforts are mainly networking and I try to educate as best I can from here. I have been involved in Dal Rescue since shortly after my own Dalmatian, Dulcie, disappeared, on March 31 of 1997.

If you read Nell's story on my site, you will see that I have a backyard bred problem dog on my hands. She is still a grumbly dog, and if anything were to happen to me, she is one that should never be rehomed. I will never fully trust her.

I would love to see people who were once considering breeding their Dalmatian adopt a Dal and save a life. There are so many that need homes..but if one gets into fostering and placing Dals, there is much to learn...people who place a Dal with just *anyone* are not looked upon with much respect by rescuers. The right Dal needs to be matched with the right home, and some people should not even have a member of this breed. This is why I advise getting to know established and reputable rescuers in your area. Also, it is imperative that Dals are not placed without first being spayed and neutered. Adoption fees usually cover that expense.

My links page has a rescue resources link which will give a state by state rundown of rescuers and rescue groups. There are also links to other sites, like the DCA's rescue page, that also gives state by state listings.

Please, think about it.
Thank you,
Lisa Messmer




The following information is something written by "Birthdncr", a fellow Dalmatian owner who is very aware of the overpopulation of this breed we love so much:

It is my understanding that (any state) is currently very over populated with Dalmatians. I know of several rescuers in that area that are being forced to turn away Dals since there are SOOOO many (unfortunately these dogs will be "put to sleep" by the "shelters" that have them).

Before you breed, I hope you will also consider the impending Dalmatian population explosion that seems to follow each new Disney Dalmatian movie. They have another movie to be due to be released in the fall. Usually what happens is Dalmatians become hugely popular, and then are over bred and poorly bred by people that just don't know how to breed and raise geneticly solid, well socialized puppies. These poorly bred pups grow up agressive and difficult to handle, become the REASON that many other owners (that bought the dogs in the first place because they were "just like in the movie") decide that they have "Bad Dalmatians" too... and Presto Change-o... instead of being very popular pets, Dalmtians become the most likely breed to be seen in a shelter waiting hopelessly for a new home that never comes.

You seem like a nice person, and I am sure that you would not want to think that even ONE of your Dalmatian's beautiful babies met it's end on a cold metal table, accompanied by only a sad shelter worker that has seen many lovely Dalmatians go this way before. I ask you, Please... do this wonderful breed a favor and do not breed your darling Dal. The fewer people that breed, the less severe the result of the movie will be. Please, think of the unmade puppies and know that by NOT breeding you have done them a favor, in not bringing at least a portion of them to certian suffering.

The best option would be having your Dal fixed. Neutering REALLY does help!!

Thank you, Birthdncr (Mary-Beth Teigue) for allowing me to post your thoughts on this page.

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